After an introduction scene right out of an Indiana Jones installment; a recurrent inspiration in the plot, this semi-remake of 1964’s Mothra vs. Godzilla surfs on the waves of mega productions that have been making the franchise more accessible the last few years. King Ghidorah made a return in 1991, and now it’s time for one of Godzilla’s first tormentor, Mothra, to step onto the battlefield.

The main subplot involves a goofy adventurer who manages to carry the human level of the scenario on his shoulders most of the time. Eventually, the legendary “cosmos”, the twins from Mothra, show up and the fantasy edge takes over. But wait! There is another monster thrown in the mix: Battra. He is yet another lightning casting brute, though a forgettable one, sadly.

Every story that prominently featured Mothra has been a watered down made cute. There is some of that in Godzilla and Mothra, but not at the expense of action and thrills. See, as much as the famous larva wants to help humanity, it ironically does so while destroying beautiful models of Japan. Overall, the style, here, brings us somewhat back to the moods of the first series of Godzilla sequels.